[WiZ] A Sheikh's Ransom

After his city is devastated by an earthquake, a man with a genetic disease makes a generous donation. His donation has nothing to do with medicine or research, but it is his condition that inspired it. What did he do?

FMOI. No specialist knowledge of world cities or genetic diseases is required to solve this puzzel.

Last edited by WiZ on Tue Nov 07, 2017 11:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Inspired by his condition: by his symptoms? By his treatment? By what he has to do in living with it?

Does his donation help alleviate the damage done? Help restore something? Help prevent further damage? Is it something that would be distributed to civilians? Something that would be built/installed? Something to be used by government workers?

did the "inspiration" for the donation, due to his condition, come thanks to the earthquake? I mean...had not the earthquake happened, would he have the opportunity to be "inspired" and make the donation? (a part from the fact that if his donation is in favor of the reconstruction of the city, he wouldn't have any reason to donate). Is there a connection between earthquake and ill? Did he need a machinery to survive? Had the earthquake somehow changed his condition? Was him on a wheelchair? Was him able to move?

Is the country of origin relevant? Japan? USA? was he dying? Did he make the donation because he knew he would have died soon?

Is the genetic disease degenerative? Can the man be considered terminally ill? Did he become after the earthquake (e.g. the machinery that let him live has been destroyed, there was no more electricity for a long period of time...)Relevant where he was at the time of the earthquake? Was him in his city (the city devastated) Was him in an hospital?

Did he make the donation soon after the earthquake? Months later? Days later? Years later?

donation = money? buildings? clothing? precious objects? unique objects? If precious object...precious for their value? For how they can be used? Because they are rare? Because they are very specific for solving the damages done by the earthquake?

Inspired by his condition: by his symptoms? no By his treatment? no By what he has to do in living with it? noish

Does his donation help alleviate the damage done? Help restore something? this Help prevent further damage? Is it something that would be distributed to civilians? Something that would be built/installed? this Something to be used by government workers? this, although not exclusively

no to rest

Earnest

did the "inspiration" for the donation, due to his condition, come thanks to the earthquake? yes I mean...had not the earthquake happened, would he have the opportunity to be "inspired" and make the donation? (a part from the fact that if his donation is in favor of the reconstruction of the city, he wouldn't have any reason to donate) the opportunity would not have presented itself, although something else could have potentially triggered it . Is there a connection between earthquake and ill? no Did he need a machinery to survive? irrelevant Had the earthquake somehow changed his condition? no Was him on a wheelchair? Was him able to move? irrelevant to both

Is the country of origin relevant? it would work in several countries, but not all Japan? no USA? this is a possibility was he dying? no Did he make the donation because he knew he would have died soon? he is thinking of his own mortality when he made the donation, but he didn't necessarily think he would die soon

Is the genetic disease degenerative? yes Can the man be considered terminally ill? not relevantly Did he become after the earthquake (e.g. the machinery that let him live has been destroyed, there was no more electricity for a long period of time...) noRelevant where he was at the time of the earthquake? no Was him in his city (the city devastated) assume yes Was him in an hospital? no

Did he make the donation soon after the earthquake? Months later? It probably took a month or two for the donation to 'go through', as it were Days later? Years later?

donation = money? buildings? clothing? precious objects? yesish unique objects? and yesish If precious object...precious for their value? For how they can be used? this Because they are rare? Because they are very specific for solving the damages done by the earthquake? and this

no to rest

GalFisk

Would it work if the city was devastated by wind? possibly Water? unlikely Fire? yes War? possibly Crime? Unlikely, but would depend very much on the type of crime and certain specific instances of it

Is the location of the city relevant? E.g. the city was in a desert (don't know if it is a reliable situation an earthquake in a desert...not an expert)? (Sheikh...)

Was the donation more to restore for inatance buildings/repair infrastrucrures or to assist evacuee/people in general? E.g. he donated water (could be precious for a city in the middle of desert as well as other goods)Is the donation a well? Something that was destroyed by the earthquake but was presebt before?

Donation = food? Drink? Services? Basic necessities? Is his donation formed by the same type of object? By different types of the same object? By different objects?

It is the condition of the man which inspired his donation...it means his every day life? His routine/one of his habits? Something that he thought that injured evacuee needed as he need it having the generic disease? Is the donation mainly adressed to a category of people? To all the evacuees/people suffering the earthquake? Just to people with a disease?

Is the location of the city relevant? no E.g. the city was in a desert (don't know if it is a reliable situation an earthquake in a desert...not an expert)? (Sheikh...) Ah. It's just a pun on 'shake'. Don't read too much into it

Was the donation more to restore for inatance buildings/repair infrastrucrures this or to assist evacuee/people in general? E.g. he donated water (could be precious for a city in the middle of desert as well as other goods) noIs the donation a well? no Something that was destroyed by the earthquake but was presebt before? yes

Donation = food? Drink? Services? Basic necessities? no to all Is his donation formed by the same type of object? yes By different types of the same object? this is also possible, but he would need more money By different objects? no

It is the condition of the man which inspired his donation...it means his every day life? His routine/one of his habits? no to these Something that he thought that injured evacuee needed as he need it having the generic disease? no Is the donation mainly adressed to a category of people? no To all the evacuees no /people suffering the earthquake? yes Just to people with a disease? no

To be sure...his city...was it a very poor city? A rich one? Where there houses for almost anyone? Were there lot of victims for a specific reason that was solved thanks to the donation? Was the city near the sea? Was there a tsunami?

Donation...Ok it is not a building right?...could it be a material? The access to a mine? The presence of qualified human capital?

Was the comparison he made the following: "the earthquake can be considered as my genetic disease...a solution to stem my genetic disease is this, so I can donate something similar to the city to solve earthquake's problems"?

Well...I know maybe the comparison is not so delicate but you know...flickering is a thing that earthquake has in common with Parkinson which I think is genetic...so genetic disease = Parkinson?If not...is it Alzheimer? Obesity? Arthritis? Epilepsy? Diabete?

Does the donation potentially affect the outcome of the next earthquake? No

Earnest

To be sure...his city...was it a very poor city? A rich one? irrelevant, but probably not notably poor Where there houses for almost anyone? assume yes Were there lot of victims for a specific reason that was solved thanks to the donation? no Was the city near the sea? irrelevant Was there a tsunami? no

Donation...Ok it is not a building right? correct ...could it be a material? no The access to a mine? no The presence of qualified human capital? no

Was the comparison he made the following: "the earthquake can be considered as my genetic disease...a solution to stem my genetic disease is this, so I can donate something similar to the city to solve earthquake's problems"? no

Well...I know maybe the comparison is not so delicate but you know ...flickering is a thing that earthquake has in common with Parkinson which I think is genetic...so genetic disease = Parkinson? This is not the solutionIf not...is it Alzheimer? Obesity? Arthritis? Epilepsy? Diabete? none of the above

did he donate to the city the rights on something? On someone? Is its genetic disease, as well as the treatment, known? His genetic disease inspired the donation...so the symptoms of the disease inspired it? the treatment? is him infirm? If so, his habits as infirm?

Damages for which the object is useful and specific: collapses of buildings? save people under the ruins? help people who lost houses? Help people who lost relatives in collapses? help in evacuate and clear ruins?

Has the donation something to do directly and relevantly with: Hotels? tourism? Hygiene? Entertainment? Water supply network? Electricity grid? a specific product? a gas station? a statue? a natural park inside the city? environmental damages?

did he donate to the city the rights on something? On someone? no to bothIs its genetic disease, as well as the treatment, known? yes His genetic disease inspired the donation...so the symptoms of the disease inspired it? the treatment? no to both is him infirm? not relevantly If so, his habits as infirm? no

Strange as it might sound, all three of your guesses are about equally close

Damages for which the object is useful and specific: collapses of buildings? save people under the ruins? help people who lost houses? Help people who lost relatives in collapses? help in evacuate and clear ruins? no to all

Has the donation something to do directly and relevantly with: Hotels? tourism? thisish Hygiene? Entertainment? this Water supply network? Electricity grid? a specific product? a gas station? a statue? a natural park inside the city? environmental damages? no to rest

Inspired by his disease = something he would like to do but he could not? Something to which he was attached? Something he was attached because in the past, due to his disease, he was well treated (e.g. a sport player who gave him his shirt...);

Inspired by his disease = something he would like to do but he could not? yes, great question Something to which he was attached? yope, DOYD of 'attached' Something he was attached because in the past, due to his disease, he was well treated (e.g. a sport player who gave him his shirt...); not this

So..entertainment = slot machines? amusement park? Carousel? no to these Entertainment like a sport? no Football? Car races? no to these Entertainment like television/radio? 'radio' is closest Library? Games? no to these

something he would like to do but he could not--> like he could not physically do? Physically do? Yes. Actively physically do?No (E.g. driving a car, playing football, clearly speaking as a speaker on a radio...) no to these

Radio is closest...radio waves relevant? Antenna relevant? Wi-fi? Electronic? Video? Screens? Phones? Devices? no to all

By "actively physically do" vs. merely "physically do" do you mean to distinguish whether he used his own muscle power to do it (for instance, like his leg was paralyzed so he couldn't kick a soccer goal, but with a prosthetic device his leg could be moved to kick the ball)? or whether he did it voluntarily (as opposed to due to a muscle tic or something like that)?

Radio is closest, so is the donation hearing-related? yes Was the man deaf (or partially so)? no

Biograd

By "actively physically do" vs. merely "physically do" do you mean to distinguish whether he used his own muscle power to do it (for instance, like his leg was paralyzed so he couldn't kick a soccer goal, but with a prosthetic device his leg could be moved to kick the ball)? or whether he did it voluntarily (as opposed to due to a muscle tic or something like that)? based on your examples, neither; although the action would not be done under his own muscle power, nor voluntarily.

Well...so concerts, CDs, music instruments are just indirectly relevant too?...(e.g. not just music can be listened with it?...)

Has the something that can be listened to, to be turned on voluntarily by the person who want to listened to it? (...I mean...e.g. a radio or a stereo need to be turned on voluntarily in ordere to be listened to it) And if so, the person can turn it on whenever he/she wants (again e.g. a stereo/radio) or is it something which for instance you can listened to also when you are in the streets but you cannot choose to listened to it or not?

Is it simply that for instance the device that made it possible for TVs to have audio was destroyed and he donated it or created it somehow?

Well...so concerts, a little indirectly CDs, indirectly music instruments directly! are just indirectly relevant too?...(e.g. not just music can be listened with it?...) see above

Has the something that can be listened to, to be turned on voluntarily by the person who want to listened to it? (...I mean...e.g. a radio or a stereo need to be turned on voluntarily in ordere to be listened to it) no And if so, the person can turn it on whenever he/she wants (again e.g. a stereo/radio) or is it something which for instance you can listened to also when you are in the streets but you cannot choose to listened to it or not? this is closer, although it would have to be played quite loudly to hear it in the street

Is it simply that for instance the device that made it possible for TVs to have audio was destroyed and he donated it or created it somehow? no

So...is the music played in a building? Like in a theatre? Is it usually played live? did he donate music instruments to an orchestra? To a band? is it usually played in order to be performed? E.g. he donated to a music school who was closed because all the instruments were lost in the earthquake?Or did he donate the instruments to an hospital?

The thing that makes me think is ...were the music instruments in the same building when the eartquake happens? Or they were in different buildings belonging to different people and they were all destroyed?

Did he donate the same kind of instrument? (E.g. I am thinking of pipe organs to churches for instance) Different instruments to different people/associations? To restaurants/pubs?

Well...to be sure...music instruments meant to be played right?(not pieces of archotecture/design or pieces of museum...right?)

So...is the music played in a building? Yes! Like in a theatre? but not this Is it usually played live? yes did he donate music instruments to an orchestra? To a band? no to these is it usually played in order to be performed? E.g. he donated to a music school who was closed because all the instruments were lost in the earthquake? I don't understand your question 100% - his donation remedied the loss of an instrument in the earthquake, howeverOr did he donate the instruments to an hospital? no

The thing that makes me think is ...were the music instruments in the same building when the eartquake happens? yes Or they were in different buildings belonging to different people and they were all destroyed? no

Did he donate the same kind of instrument? (E.g. I am thinking of pipe organs this is what he donated to churches I was thinking of the town hall, but a prominent church would also work for instance) Different instruments to different people/associations? no To restaurants/pubs? no

Well...to be sure...music instruments meant to be played right? yes (not pieces of archotecture/design to be fair, the aesthetics are quite important or pieces of museum no ...right?)

so was he able to hear all the sounds emitted by the organ? (I was thinking about a genetic disease that caused him to be gradually deaf to some key...)

is the something he is physically unable to do due to his disease related to his capacity to play the pipe organ (e.g. difficulties in pressing the pedal)? Or more to his incapability in hearing the music? If the latter, due to the distance? Due to the genetic disease?

to be sure...was the pipe organ present in the building before the Earthquake? If so was it damaged? Was the building damaged? If not, are there more than one pipe organs? And maybe the other one was transported in a lace that was inaccessible to him because of his disease? Or to a place where he was unable to hear it? is it something like he would like to hear the pipe organ but he was physically unable to go were the pipe organ has been transported?

so was he able to hear all the sounds emitted by the organ? yes, after it was replaced, of course (I was thinking about a genetic disease that caused him to be gradually deaf to some key...)

is the something he is physically unable to do due to his disease related to his capacity to play the pipe organ (e.g. difficulties in pressing the pedal)? no Or more to his incapability in hearing the music? no If the latter, due to the distance? Due to the genetic disease?

Not to give too much away, but the restriction his disease places on him has nothing to do with sound...

to be sure...was the pipe organ present in the building before the Earthquake? yes If so was it damaged? yes Was the building damaged? irrelevant; assume yesIf not, are there more than one pipe organs? irrelevant and unlikely - for this puzzle to work, he would have to have paid to replace at least one organ And maybe the other one was transported in a lace that was inaccessible to him because of his disease? Or to a place where he was unable to hear it? this is not itis it something like he would like to hear the pipe organ but he was physically unable to go were the pipe organ has been transported? no

Is the fact that the word organ also means a part of the human body relevant? Is he unable to be an organ donor in the usual sense due to his condition so decides that at least he can donate a pipe organ instead?

Is the fact that the word organ also means a part of the human body relevant? Is he unable to be an organ donor in the usual sense due to his condition so decides that at least he can donate a pipe organ instead?

***** SPOILER *****

The man had a degenerative genetic condition which meant that his internal organs were unsuitable for donation upon his death. After the pipe organ in the town hall was destroyed during the earthquake, he paid over a million dollars to restore/replace it, thus fulfilling a lifetime desire to be an organ donor.

Congratulations (again!) to Enjay, and thank you, Earnest for your tenacity. I'm aware that this wasn't fair to you, with the solution hinging on a double meaning in what I presume is not your first language.